The Metaphor of My Life
by DemonDragon666
Summary: this isn't exactly a crossover, it's more of an original, i just couldn't find a category for it. Anyway, Sophie, the narrator of the story is a normal teenage girl, like in most stories. She starts seeing these black hooded creatures and chaos begins.


**The Metaphor of my Life**

I'm running. I'm running as fast as my tired legs will take me. I can't look back. I won't look back. They're after me. The torrent winds rush through my silky auburn hair and catch in the pockets of my jacket slowing me down. I can't look back. I won't look back. They're after me. I can hear the crunching of crisp fall leaves under my charcoal sneakers. I can't look back. I won't look back. They're after me. The brilliant country scenery passes me by as I fly down the gravel-covered sidewalk into the unknown. I can't look back. I won't look back. They're after me.

I can see it! I can see freedom! My house! My sacred place! It zooms toward me as I continue to speed down the long road. Closer and closer it comes to me. I'm almost there. Almost… there… yes! I turn the golden handle and shut myself in the safe shelter of my home. The plastered walls protect me from my menacing followers. I lean against the solid mahogany door, gasping for air.

Are they still there? How close were they to me as I ran? Did they see me come in my house? All of these thoughts cloud my mind. As I regain my energy I look to the window. The flimsy white curtains draping over the glass block my view from the outdoors. Could they be waiting for me outside? I slowly step over to the living room window. I pull back the cream coloured sheets enough to poke an eye through the crack. Only grassy fields and breezy trees are in my sight, but wait. What's that over there? The dark patch in the corner of my eye? A figure. A black, hooded figure. Oh no! It's them!

I shut the curtain and slump to the floor. They found me. As long as I stay in here they can't get me, but they know I'm here. Could there be other ways for them to get me in their clutches? I hope I never find out.

"Sophie, is that you?"

A sweet voice calls my name. It is the voice of my mother, the woman that gave me life and has protected me from these ghastly creatures for all of these years.

"Yeah", I respond with little breath.

"Well supper is ready if you want some."

I turn back to the window and draw back the curtain again. They're gone. Perhaps they gave up. Or perhaps they're waiting for the right opportunity.

I saunter to the kitchen. My lungs fill with the appetizing aroma of grilled chicken and sautéed vegetables. I sit in my chair, the one closest to the main hall so that I can leave quickly if I want to. I've sat in this exact chair my whole life. Apparently I can't sit still, that's why my parents leave this seat open for me. Of course, I would disagree, but they know better.

I'm a quiet individual and seem to enjoy my own company rather than someone else's. Most days I sit alone in my room and ponder over what has occurred in my life so far, but that has only been recently.

I used to be a loud mouth. No one could ever shut me up. I still used to leave the dinner table early like I do now, but that was to call a friend or go shopping. Now it's different. This month has been different. I only started seeing them a few weeks ago. That's when my life changed. That's when I fell off the map, as it were.

My mom brought me a steaming plate of food and placed it on the royal blue mat before me.

"Did you have fun at Dana's?"

I lifted my fork in attempt to start at my dinner, though I wasn't at all hungry.

"Yeah, mom. Tons of fun", I exaggerated.

Before and during meals my parents like to interrogate me. They feel it's the only way they can get to know what's going on in my life.

"So, how is she?"

"Same as always."

I stabbed the breast of chicken and sliced open the meat with my knife, releasing puffs of hot steam.

"How's her mom? Is she still taking those Pilate classes? I'm thinking of taking those with her. Tell her I'm interested."

"Sure, mom."

I stuffed the juicy piece of meat into my watering mouth. My teeth sunk into it with each tender bite.

My dad walked in the room carrying my sister who was slung over his shoulder. She babbled and squawked as he lowered her into her highchair. My sister, Casey, a toddler of three years is the pride and joy of my parents. I know they try to treat us equally, but let's face it. I'm a teenager. I don't expect to be liked or understood. I blame it on the age.

"Casey! How's my little cupcake", my blind-sighted mother cooed at her while strapping her in the child's restraining seat.

My dad pulled up a chair next to me and sighed while getting comfortable. He glared at me with curiosity. Here's the part where he questions me too.

"Hey, Sophie. Did you have a good time with Dana?"

"Already went over that with mom, dad."

I shrugged off his question and returned to my food, eyeing me with addicting stares.

"Oh. Okay. Well, are you feeling any better? I mean, have you seen them again?"

Oh yeah. My parents think me seeing these hooded creatures is a sickness, a glitch in my mental state. They don't understand it fully. They haven't had the nightmares, seen their terrifying presence. They don't have a clue. So, I lie.

"No, dad. I haven't seen or heard them in a week."

"Well that's good isn't it?"

Another question. The way I was avoiding his eye contact usually gets him nervous and wants me to engage more in the conversation. I rolled my pale green eyes at him while dropping my fork and knife from my grip.

"Yeah. Sure, dad. Hey, you know, this conversation has been great, but I have to go study upstairs. Now."

I excused myself from the family dinner table. As I began climbing the tall stairwell to my bedroom, a small sound caught my attention. I froze. My parents and even my fidgety little munchkin of a sister stared quizzically at my concentrated pose. My mouth was open with my wet pink tongue showing through my less-than-perfect teeth. My eyes still.

The noise was coming from outside. I was sure of it. Could it be them? Could they finally be trying to break in? I race up to my room for safety. All I hear from my family on the floor below me is my bratty sister chanting loudly,

"Sophie crazy! Sophie crazy, mommy!"

I slam the heavy door shut to drown out the racket from the annoying world around me. In my room, my safe place in my comforting home is only a single bed, a desk, and a chair and a lamp light for the all-wood table. It's not much, and its small, but I like it, for now at least.

I'm sure a cold wind will come and sweep away my love for my personal space and possessions, just like it did for my family, my friends and every other value I used to cherish so close to my heart. I feel as though I have no will to live any longer. There is not a single reason to stay in this hell we call earth. Not any more. Not since… there it is again!

The noise I heard before is outside my window. I slowly pace to the windowsill. My heart races with anticipation. A head pops up into view. It is a female with pinned up streaky blonde hair. A broad smile plastered on her face. She waved through the glass in a friendly fashion, but retracted her arm quickly to grab hold of the ledge for stability. Dana.

I now calmly and fearlessly flip the latch on the small opening. She climbed into the room while stumbling over everything and nothing at the same time. Graceful did not seem to be a word often used in her vocabulary. Though she was able to swing her legs in so easily she reminded me of a trained gymnast doing flips and tricks at the circus without straining a muscle.

As she gained back her balance on the flat surface she took a deep breath and fixed her blue knitted scarf that hung over her shoulder and around her neck.

"Hey Sophie!"

She threw her arms around me in a hug. I pushed her away and stepped back, letting space fill in between us.

"Dana, I saw you like a half hour ago. Why are you here?"

She gave a puppy dog pout with her full lips smeared with sparkly magenta lip-gloss.

"I was worried about you. I mean as soon as I watched you leave my doorstep you started running. It frightened me."

"So I felt like running home, big deal."

"Yeah, maybe you did, but what about the creatures?"

I rolled my eyes and turned in the other direction away from my anxious friend.

"Oh, please, Dana. Does the whole world have to know about me seeing things? What does it matter anyway?"

Of course I knew I wasn't seeing things, but for the sake of my friend, I might as well pretend I understand what she's been telling me all this time. Dana looked down. She seemed offended by what I had said to her. Her long black lashes curled up almost to her thinly shaped eyebrows. She was definitely classy, no matter what her mood. She always had style. Dana was ditzy and naïve, but she could always win the guy with her incredible beauty. She was like the Barbie doll I never had. Dana was my best friend, even though I despised the fact that she always seemed to get what she wanted. Aside from all the bad things about her, she always put others before her, like me.

She grabbed my icy hands and glared at me with bright grey-blue eyes.

"Sophie, I know there is something wrong. I'm smart enough to know when you're not well."

That she is.

"And I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you need anything, anything at all. Okay?"

"Okay, Dana. Thanks."

The way I responded to her was very harsh. I almost pitied her once I saw her facial expression after I had said it.

"Sophie, what's going on? Ever since you split up with-"

"Dana, don't!"

"But I know that's the reason! He broke up with you a month ago. Why do you still care about him?"

"Dana, please. Drop it", I commanded.

"I'm not going to. I know you loved him and I know you thought he was the one, but guess what, he's not. If he were he'd still be here. Am I right? You have got to get over him!"

I was silent. This time Dana was the harsh one. A tear came to my eye. It was true. I had lost my true love, the one I had been dating for years. He was so kind and handsome, and he cared about me. He was the only good thing in my life. And yes, he left me a month ago. That's what made my life truly change. Around that time was when I saw the monsters too. They took my mind off him for a while, but he was always at the back of my thoughts. He was still always there. He was a big part of my life that melted away like an ice cube on a hot summer's day.

I looked away from Dana's gaze, avoiding those truthful eyes.

"Please leave", I mumbled.

She dropped my hands and exited out the same window she had come from. Every few moments she turned back to look at me, and each time she did, I was in the same position. Finally the window shut. I heard the click of its lock and the thud of her feet landing firmly on the ground outside and knew she was gone.

The thoughts and memories that she brought back from our conversation were painful. They tore at my heart like a wild dog ripping away meat from an innocent animal's carcass. I flopped down onto my lonesome bed in the corner of my claustrophobic room. Bringing my knees up to my chest, I curled up in the corner where the headboard of the single bed met with the sidewall. I wrapped my thin arms around my legs, keeping them sturdy for support. I propped my chin on my kneecaps and gritted my teeth, pushing hard on my bottom jaw.

The strength I once had that held back my tears and feelings weakened. Transparent liquid streamed down my cheeks and collected at the point of my chin. Sadness consumed me like a black hole of emptiness. Silence surrounded me as I cried my heart out for what I could have had. There was nothing that could make my life mean something, make me content with who I am and what I have.

My vision was blurry due to the tears. I lifted my head and wiped my eyes dry with the black sleeve of my cotton shirt. It soaked up the wetness with ease. As clear images returned, I saw the dark silhouette of the hooded figure. It was right up in my face. I shrieked with fright. I was unsure if anyone had heard me. In a way I wished they had so they could view these hideous beings for themselves.

I kicked my legs out to push the creature away. It snatched my limbs and held them still as it pursued me. It came closer and closer to my face. It covered my nose and my open mouth with its grotesque black fingers from its free arm. This blocked all ways for my lungs to receive air; the pure oxygen I need to breath. I tried to make sounds under its heavy hand, but all that came out was a muffled whimper. I stared wide-eyed into the hood of the creature, hoping to see the face of the beast. It was fully shadowed. There was no way I could see the… wait.

Its arm holding steady my legs rose to its hood and drew back the thick fabric. I was in complete awe. What I saw was not what I imagined, even in my wildest dreams. I stopped my struggle when I saw its face. The pale skin, the thin, kissable lips, the mischievous stare of those musky brown eyes, and the thick waves of its black shaggy hair were unbelievably familiar to me. It was the face of the boy that betrayed my love so harshly, the boy that I gave my heart to blindly. It was him that had stolen my life from me. It was him that truly haunted my dreams. Why hadn't I seen it before?

My panicked mother came rushing in followed by my protective father, keeping back my sister from the horror stricken scene. The figure was no longer hovering over me. I realized now that it was never there. It was always just in my head, warning me to care more for my life and savour each moment of it while I still could. Now I had no choice. I didn't take advantage of it while I had the chance.

My heartbeat increased. My breathing diminished. Finally I lay there with no breath left in my lungs, no thought left in my brain, no hope left in my soul. I could hear the last cries of my family I had never given a chance to, in the house I had never truly called my home, saying goodbye to the life I had never really known. My eyes rolled back into their sockets and the world, as I once knew it faded into blackness.


End file.
